There are eight schools of Chinese Buddhism. Four of them emphasize the meaning of the Dharma. They are T'ien-t'ai, Hua-yen (or Avatamsaka), Fa-hsiang (or Yogachara) , and San-lun (or Madhyamika). The other four schools are weighted more towards practice. They are the Ch'an, Pure Land, Vinaya, and Mantra schools.

Each of the eight schools has its unique characteristics, and there is a verse that highlights the differences.

Mantra [school for the] rich, Ch'an poor, Pure 
Land convenient.
Yogachara meticulous, Chia-hsiang emptiness.
Hua-yen classical, Vinaya discipline.
T'ien-t'ai methodic in presenting the teachings.

The first line tells us that if one wants to practice in the Mantra way, one should be fairly well off. The Mantra school has many rites and rituals. Altars have to be exquisitely decorated, and implements call for materials such as gold, silver or bronze. The array of implements is extensive, and the time required for each practice is long. The practitioner is also expected to honor his or her teacher with substantial offerings. All in all, one should have adequate time and financial resources to practice in this tradition.

Contrary to the Mantra way of practice, Ch'an followers do not have to be well to do. One does not need much material support to practice Ch'an. Many Ch'an masters live a simple life. A roof over the head and a place to meditate are all that is required. In ancient times, some Ch'an masters lived in the woods. They dressed simply and ate wild plants and fruits. While their lives might seem poor and meager, they were enriched by the joys of samadhi .

The Pure Land school of Buddhism is based on mindfulness of the Buddha. Most Pure Land followers practice their mindfulness with recitation of the name of Amitabha. Regardless of one's profession or one's circumstance, one can continually practice such mindfulness. This is why the verse describes Pure Land as convenient.

Those who are drawn to the Yogachara school are patient and meticulous. This school espouses the Mind Only philosophy. Its teachings are full of complicated names and are difficult to follow. If you are not patient enough to sort through the terminology and how one idea relates to another, then there is little chance that you will understand the meaning of the teachings.

Chia-hsiang is the founder of the San-lun school of Buddhism, and this school is also refereed to as the Chia-hsiang school. This school bases its doctrines on the Sata-sastra (The Hundred Verses, A.D. 404), the Dvadasanikaya-sastra (On the Twelve Points, A.D. 408), and the Madhyamaka-sastra (The Middle, A.D. 409). The common theme of these three sastras is the nature of emptiness and conditionality. Thus, we associate the San-lun school with the teachings on emptiness.

Chinese Buddhism generally follows the Mahayana tradition, and the best school to represent this tradition is the Hua-yen school. This is what's meant by "Hua-yen classical" in the third line of the verse. This sentiment is also echoed by Venerable Tai-hsu, a renowned monk of this century. He once said that while all eight schools of Buddhism were equally important, he himself was a follower of the Hua-yen tradition. This school is based on the Avatamsaka Sutra. Early patriarchs of the school took the teachings of the sutra and together with their personal insights formulated an accessible approach to the understanding of conditionality and dharma nature. In addition to their contributions in this area, the school also teaches various methods of contemplation as ways of practice. In due course, the teachings of the Avatamsaka Sutra became a cornerstone of Chinese Buddhism.

The second part of the third line tells us that the teachings of the Vinaya school are focused on discipline and ethics. Without personal integrity, we simply cannot mature spiritually. Once we are in control of our mind and body, then we are primed to see the truth and ready to discover the wisdom and radiance within ourselves.

Of all the schools, T'ien-t'ai is best in presenting a complete picture of all the Buddha's teachings. The founder of the school, Venerable Chih-che, was the first one to classify the teaching life of the Buddha into five periods and eight skillful means. These eight skillful means consist of four modes of teaching methods and four types of expositions of the Dharma. The four modes of teaching methods are sudden, gradual, esoteric (or secret), and varied. The four types of expositions of the Dharma are treasured (the teachings in the Tripitaka), common (the teachings common to sravakas, pratyekabuddha, and bodhisattvas), different (the teachings unique to the bodhisattva), and complete (the path to buddhahood). In a very scientific and methodical way, he organized the Tripitaka and the twelve divisions of the Mahayana canon into various sections based on the kinds of sentient beings the specific teachings were trying to reach. With explanations and comparisons he described the various kinds of practice and different stages of enlightenment. It is no wonder we say the T'ien-t'ai school is the most methodical and comprehensive in presenting the Buddha's teachings.

While each of the eight schools has their own characteristics, they all share commonalties. For one, they all flourished around the same time, during the Sui and T'ang dynasty. Their influence on Chinese culture is pervasive, and they played a key role in the prosperity of that era. That was the golden age of Chinese Buddhism. Sadly enough, the state of these schools nowadays cannot compare to that period. Some are on the decline. While others are still popular, they have yet to regain the acceptance they once enjoyed.
Which of the eight schools should we start with? To help us decide, we may take a cue from the Buddha and start with the Hua-yen school. After Prince Siddhartha attained enlightenment under the bodhi tree on that starry night, he became the fully enlightened Buddha. The Dharma that he initially addressed after enlightenment was later captured in what is now called the Avatamsaka Sutra. The chronological order of the other sutras is as follows:

Avatamsaka the first three seven-day periods.
Agamas twelve, various eight.
Twenty-two years discoursing prajna.
Lotus and Nirvana totaled eight years.

[While we speak of the various sutras, we should point out that the sutras were compiled after the Buddha entered parinirvana and were based on what his disciples, primarily Ananda, remembered of the Buddha's teachings.] The Avatamsaka Sutra covers the teachings of the first twenty-one days. Included in the Agamas are teachings that covered the next period lasting over twelve years. Various sutras such as the Amitabha Sutra, the Medicine Buddha Sutra, and the Vimilakirti Sutra span another eight years. It took the Buddha twenty-two years to teach the Dharma that is now included in the Prajna Sutra, while those included in the Lotus Sutra and Nirvana Sutra took eight. Like the Buddha who started his preaching life with the Avatamsaka Sutra, we will begin our discussion on the eight schools of Chinese Buddhism with the Hua-yen school.

The Hua-yen School and Its Practice

A. The History of the Avatamsaka Sutra

Among the vast collection of sutras, the Avatamsaka Sutra has been referred to as the sutra of all sutras. Over the span of nine discourses and seven different locations, the Buddha expounded on the teachings in this sutra. During that time, no one could completely understand the profound meaning of these teachings. Legend has it that the sutra was later hidden in the royal palace of the king of a serpent-worshipping clan in India. It took six hundred years before Nagarjuna discovered the existence of the sutra. With his extraordinary wisdom, he managed to memorize the last third of the sutra before he was discovered by the royal guards of the palace and expelled. After Nagarjuna left the palace, he wrote down what he had memorized. This is the beginning of the Avatamsaka Sutra.

In China, there are three Chinese translations of the Sanskrit original. First, there was a translation by Buddhabhadra who arrived in China in A.D. 406. His translation consists of sixty sections and is also known as the Chin translation. The second translation was completed by Siksananda during the T'ang dynasty (about A.D. 700). There are eighty sections and this version is also referred to as the T'ang translation. The last version comprises of forty sections and was translated by a man named Prajna who lived during the T'ang dynasty at about A.D. 800. Regardless of which translation, the teachings contained are similar.

B. The Hua-yen Way of Classifying the Buddha's Teachings into Three Periods

Fa-tsang Hsien-shou, the third patriarch of Hua-yen, used the analogy of the sun's movement during the day to classify the Buddha's life teachings into three periods. When day breaks and the sun rises, it first shines on the mountains. In a similar way, after the Buddha attained enlightenment, he first taught the Dharma to bodhisattvas who were ready to accept the Dharma. The sutras of this period include the Avatamsaka Sutra and the Brahmajala Sutra.
When the sun continues to rise, its light shines on other parts of the landscape. This is the second period of the Buddha's teachings. Initially, the sun's rays pierce through the mountains and shine in the valleys below. This is not unlike the Buddha trying to reach the unenlightened and practitioners of other faiths. The teachings of this period included the Three Refuges, Five Precepts, Four Noble Truths, and the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination. A representative sutra of these teachings is the Agamas. Next, the sun shines past the valleys and reaches the high plateaus. This symbolizes that some of the sentient beings were now ready to practice the bodhisattva path. The teachings directed at the audience could be found in the Sutra of Perfect Enlightenment, the Vimalakirti Sutra, the Maharatnakuta Sutra, and the Lankavatara Sutra. The third and last phase of this period is midday when the sun is high above. It shines on the great plains, symbolizing the multitude of beings who were then ready to understand the Dharma. The sutras of this phase include the Diamond Sutra and the Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra.

The third period is when the Buddha was about to enter parinirvana. This is similar to the time of the day when the sun is about to set. Its light permeates the whole land, symbolizing that the Buddha's teachings are for all-we all have buddha nature and the ability to become buddhas. This was the period of the teachings of the buddha-yana. This vehicle of oneness known as the buddha-yana is also called the One Vehicle, the final or complete teachings of the Buddha. These teachings are now found in the Lotus and the Nirvana Sutra.

While the Hua-yen school looks at the Buddha's teachings this way, the T'ien-t'ai school begs to differ. They believe that their own classification of the Buddha's teachings into five periods is more complete and accurate.

C. The Buddha Realm of Oneness-Complete, Seamless, and Totally Free

Of all the sutras, the teachings in the Avatamsaka Sutra are the most complete and profound. When the Buddha gave these discourses, not even all of the bodhisattvas and celestial beings present could understand. Arhats, too, were no exceptions.

Among the sutras, some such as the Diamond Sutra speak of emptiness. Others focus on the teachings of mind only existence. Some schools are proponents of sudden realization, while other schools emphasize a gradual approach. The Hua-yen school integrates all these different teachings and creates one that is seamless with them. The Avatamsaka Sutra speaks of the buddha realm, a realm which embraces all phenomena without exclusion. In this realm, there is no distinction between true reality and apparent reality, between sentient beings and buddhas. This realm is beyond all dualities. Substance is form, and form is substance. This is the realm of absolute equality. If we can experience this realm, we can expand our horizon and realize that life is endless and ceaseless. In life, we all fear death and shun poverty. But if we are in tune with the buddha realm of oneness, we are essentially free from the shackles of the dualistic world, a world where we continually jockey for wealth over poverty, life over death, or abundance over scarcity. A thorough understanding of this realm can help us not only spiritually but also in the way we function in our everyday lives.

When we move beyond duality, we will see that billions is not necessarily more, and one is not necessarily less. We all know that when we count, we start with one, but the word one can also connote immeasurable greatness. We say that we are all grounded in oneness, and all phenomena are but one reality. The one here is definitely not a small measure. All myriad things and innumerable changes stem from one reality. A grain of sand, a speck of dust, a galaxy, and even the whole universe are all embodied in this oneness or one reality. While we think of billions as an enormous amount, but implicit in this concept is a definite, bounded measure. [When we look at the world and all phenomena as one, then every thing, however minute, is an entry point to this one totality. Take the example of lifting a shirt, whether we try to lift the shirt by its sleeves or by the collar or even by a tiny little button, it is still the same shirt that is being lifted.] In a similar way, a grain of sand is not merely a grain of sand but also part and parcel of the immeasurable three thousand great chiliocosms . Let me give you another example. When we first started to give Dharma talks many years ago, all we needed was a room in the temple. As we grew, we progressively moved into larger and larger auditoriums. From a few people to a few thousand, from a small room to a huge auditorium, it is still one Dharma talk. Even if we were to expand to the rest of the world, it would still be one Dharma talk, not two, not three. The meaning of this "oneness" is deep, and we should learn to see the immeasurability of "one."

Like the dualistic concepts of one versus billions, we also instinctively think of a speck of dust as minute and space as vast. Such thinking is also biased. Within the buddha realm of oneness, big and small are not different. The following story will further illustrate this point. Once there was a scholar visiting a temple. In the temple, he saw this two-line stanza:

Sumeru contains mustard seeds;
Mustard seed embraces Sumeru

He looked at the stanza and found it ludicrous. He thought to himself, "It is one thing to say that we can find mustard seeds in Mount Sumeru, but to say that Mount Sumeru is contained in a mustard seed is quite an exaggeration." Lost in his thoughts, he muttered out loud, "How ridiculous!" A monk nearby overheard his comment and went up to ask him, "Sir, there is no contradiction in this stanza. You are a scholar, so you must have heard of the saying that if one was to have studied over ten thousand scrolls, one could write as if there was magic in the pen. Let me ask you, where do all the words go when one studies?"

The man patted his tummy and said, "It's all in here." The monk took a book and told the young man, "Please put this in your tummy." The scholar replied, "What I mean is that the learning goes in here, not the book itself."

The teachings in myriad scrolls can all be absorbed. This is how big and small can co-exist without contradiction. This is also what the Avatamsaka Sutra means when it says that the big and small embody each other. We say that the inside of the Tathagata is large enough to contain heaven and earth and that we all have buddha nature. The vastness of space is, therefore, also contained within us. It is up to us to expand the world inside of us so that we may see the vastness within us.

When we look at cities like Taipei or New York, we see that such metropolises are very congested. With limited space and a huge population, it is unrealistic for us to expect a lot of living space. If we apply the teachings of the Avatamsaka Sutra, we can expand the world inside of us and deal with the congestion with ease. When we open our mind to the buddha realm of oneness, we will see that any living space is expansive like the whole dharma realm. In this mindset, the conflict over congestion will be minimized.

In Buddhism the word "ksana" means an extremely brief moment of time. To give you an idea of how brief it is, we say, "When a youth snaps his finger, sixty-three ksanas have elapsed." Compared to our everyday measure of time, a second is about a few hundred times longer than a ksana. At the other extreme, the word "kalpa" denotes a very, very long duration. An "asamkhya kalpa" is such a long period of time that any attempts to visualize it will be difficult.

By most measure, we think of a ksana as brief and a kalpa as long. This is not necessarily true. Some insects live only for a day-born in the morning and die by nightfall. Though its life is only a day long, it is still a cycle of life. Other animals, such as tortoises or cranes, live for hundreds of years. While its life is a few hundred years long, it is also a cycle of life. A cycle of life is nothing more than a chapter in our endless cycles of rebirth. While we live and die, our buddha nature is forever present, in which context the duality of long and short loses its meaning. Yes, it is true that human life has a beginning and an end, but these changes are not lasting. The end of one's life marks the beginning of another. This continuity is like a person moving from one house to the next. Our body is like a house. When it is old and worn, we change into a new body. While the bodies may be different, we are reborn again and again. In the Avatamsaka Sutra, it is said that life itself is limitless and ceaseless.

Some people live a brief existence, but their contribution to humanity lasts a long time. Among the disciples of Kumarajiva, the great translator, was one named Venerable Seng-chao. Though he died when he was only thirty years of age, the commentaries he left behind had a tremendous impact on Buddhism. Others live for a long time, but does a long life necessarily mean a better one?

Some of you may have the experience of having a dream that seems to go on and on. In Chinese literature, there is a story about a poor student who had a dream covering a fifty-year period. This student, Lu-sheng, was on his way to the capital to take the civil servant examination. He stopped at a roadside inn for the night. The owner of the inn was just about to light a fire to start cooking. While gazing at the fire, Lu-sheng fell asleep. In his sleep, he dreamed that he traveled to another kingdom and married a beautiful wife. He became a high ranking official and had a few sons. In his dream, fame and fortune were on his side. Everything was going fine until he became ill some fifty years later. When he was dreaming of himself dying, he turned over and woke himself up. When he woke up, he realized that it was just a dream, and the innkeeper had not even finished his cooking. In dreams, time flows at a different pace.

As in dreams, time also flows at a different pace in samadhi . What may feel like a short time in samadhi is in fact many days. Once, when the renowned Venerable T'ai-hsu was meditating in the temple of P'u-t'o Shan, he could still hear the ringing of the dusk bells when he went into samadhi. When he came out of samadhi, a whole night had passed and it was just the time for the ringing of dawn bells. He thought he was in samadhi only for a short duration and that the dusk bells were still being sounded.

Time is relative. To someone who is in samadhi, time passes at warp speed. To someone who is serving a prison sentence, time slows to a crawl, and a day feels like a year. Time disappears when we are having fun, but time lingers when we are miserable. Our mindset plays a pivotal role in how we view time.

Once we begin to internalize the buddha realm of oneness, we will see that presence and absence are not all that distinct, to have and have not are not all that different. What we call filth is not filthy, and what we call clean is not pure. Stepping backwards is not falling behind and marching ahead is not advancing. This is a realm where have or have not, purity or filth, front or back, big or small, long or short are all illusive and not for real. This realm is beyond time and space. One thought spans hundreds and thousands of kalpas, and conversely, hundreds and thousands of kalpas are contained in one thought. A speck of dust is, in fact, the land of all ten directions, and the converse is also true. The buddha realm of oneness is a complete, seamless, and totally free realm where "one is all, and all is one."

Anyone who has yet to read the Avatamsaka Sutra does not know the treasures within Buddhism. This sutra can help us expand our horizon and see how profound and rich the Buddha's teachings are.

D. The Early Patriarch of Hua-yen school

The founding father of Hua-yen was Venerable Tu-shun. Born in A.D. 557 in Shan-hsi province, he became a monk at the age of eighteen and dedicated his life to the study of the Avatamsaka Sutra. He wrote the Contemplation of the Dharma Realm, in which he talked about the practice of contemplating the profound teachings of the Avatamsaka Sutra in samadhi. He was a great proponent of combining understanding and practice, and he taught his disciples the threefold contemplation of the dharma realm: "True emptiness is devoid of appearance and attribute. Truth and phenomenon are unimpeded . [The dharma realm] is everywhere." His life was peppered with many miraculous, or unexplainable, events. A blind man regained his sight after paying the venerable respect. A deaf man was also similarly cured. Once when he was traveling across a stream, the water actually stopped flowing until he had finished crossing. He was very well respected by the emperor, who conferred on him the title Venerable Ti-shun (literally the emperor's heart). He passed away in the Yi-shan Temple in A.D. 640.

The second patriarch of Hua-yen was the monk Chih-yen. Even when he was a child, he liked to build make-believe stupas out of stones and pebbles, topping them with flowers. He would pretend to be a Dharma teacher and asked his playmates to listen to him talk. After he became a monk, he devoted himself to studying the Avatamsaka Sutra. At twenty-seven, he wrote a commentary on the sutra. His written works numbered in excess of twenty. Besides being a prolific writer, he was also a great educator. He predicted his own death and passed away on the 29th day of the tenth month in Ch'ing-ch'an Temple at the age of sixty-seven.

The third patriarch of Hua-yen was Venerable Hsien-shou Fa-tsang. Fa-tsang was his dharma name, and Hsien-shou (i.e. Foremost in Virtue) was the name conferred on him by the emperor. When he was sixteen, he went to Fa-men Temple in Shan-hsi province. It was there in front of the stupa containing relics of King Asoka that he burned his finger with incense to signify his commitment to spreading the teachings of the Buddha. Later, when he had the chance to listen to Chih-yen preach the Avatamsaka Sutra, he became one of his leading disciples. His contribution to Hua-yen was immense. He helped Siksananda with his translation of the sutra. During his lifetime, he preached the sutra over thirty times. He was well versed in the Avatamsaka Sutra, the Brahmajala Sutra, and the Lankavatara Sutra. He wrote commentaries and analyses on these sutras, compiling over thirty volumes of written works. Using the Avatamsaka Sutra as a framework, he gave structure to the works of earlier patriarchs and formalized what Hua-yen represented. Because of his contribution, the Hua-yen school blossomed, and the school also became referred to as the Hsien-shou school.

The fourth patriarch was Venerable Ch'ing-liang Ch'eng-kuan (i.e. Pure-cool Clear-contemplation). He was the imperial teacher of seven emperors. Ch'ing-liang literally means refreshing and was a title conferred on him by the emperor to describe his delight upon hearing the venerable teach the Dharma. He wrote a commentary on the Avatamsaka Sutra and even held a Dharma service upon its completion. He never visited with laymen, and he always carried his three robes and one alms bowl, in strict observance of the monastic rules. Anything that could detract him from his cultivation, he kept at bay. After he became a monk, he always slept in a sitting meditation position, never lying down. Everyday he recited the Avatamsaka Sutra and was always mindful of the Buddha. His diligence in practice was what made him a great patriarch.

The fifth patriarch was Venerable Tsung-mi Kuei-feng. He was a protege of the Fourth Patriarch. Drawing on his knowledge of the Avatamsaka Sutra, he wrote a very detailed commentary on the Perfect Enlightenment Sutra. Even to this day, his work is a gold standard that others compare to.
These are the five great patriarchs of the Hua-yen school. Through their hard work and insights, Hua-yen became one of the great schools of Chinese Buddhism.

E. The Hua-yen Practice

The Hua-yen school teaches many ways of practice. One such way is the practice of the four universal vows: To save all living beings without limit, to sever all delusion without end, to learn all Dharma methods and means however numerous, and to become perfect in the supreme buddha way. Many of you have heard of these vows, and monastics have to recite these vows every morning. As familiar as we are with them, how many of us truly take them to heart? Only when we are totally committed to these vows can we resonate with the buddha realm of oneness spoken of in the Avatamsaka Sutra.

Samantabhadra Bodhisattva is often associated with the Avatamsaka Sutra. The Bodhisattva made ten vows, and they clearly show us the dedication and diligence of bodhisattvas. The ten vows are: 1) to pay respect to all buddhas; 2) to give praise to the Tathagata; 3) to give alms; 4) to be remorseful of our unwholesome ways; 5) to practice sympathetic joy; 6) to pray that the Buddha and the Dharma will always be with us; 7) to ask the Buddha to turn the Dharma wheel; 8) to continually practice the Buddha's teachings; 9) to use skillful means to influence others; and 10) to transfer all merit to sentient beings. Through these ten vows, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva shows us that the buddha realm of oneness does not discriminate between self and others, and when we help others, we help also ourselves.

Meditative contemplation is an important practice in the Hua-yen school and is a gateway to experiencing the buddha realm of oneness. Meditative contemplation in the Hua-yen school is similar to the Ch'an school meditation and involves six preparatory steps. First is the sitting posture. One can either sit in a full lotus position or a half lotus position. The full lotus position is when both feet are rested on opposite thighs like what we see in buddha statues. The half lotus position is when only one foot rests on the other thigh. Either position may take some getting used to, and in the beginning one can simply sit cross-legged. The advantage of sitting in a lotus position is that it can help us focus our mind. The position also helps our bodies to stay calm. When we are under the weather, sitting in this manner can help us regain our strength. It can also help us recharge our bodies when we are tired. Five minutes of sitting meditation is more restful than an hour of sleep. If we want our bodies to stay healthy and flexible, we should develop the habit of sitting in a lotus position when we eat.

Second, when we sit, the body should be straight, eyes looking down, and hands folded in the lap. Eyes should be slightly closed as it is easy to become distracted when they are wide open. When I was young, I was curious and inattentive, and I kept looking around when I did sitting meditation. My teacher finally gave me a good slap and directed me to focus my mind. The hands should be folded with the left hand over the right one. This arrangement of the hands is also known as the Amitabha mudra .

Third, clothing should be loose fitting and comfortable. Suits or tight-fitting skirts are not appropriate because they can restrict breathing. Before sitting meditation, one should first move the body slightly from side to side and massage the back of the head and the bottom of the feet a few times to get the blood flowing. This will help the body stay comfortable and the mind focused.

Fourth, we should pay attention to our breathing. It should not be rushed or forced. The breathing should be gentle and smooth. It should also be even so that inhalation is just as long as exhalation. Rhythmic breathing like this prepares us to calm the mind.

Now that the body is settled, the fifth step is to calm the mind. An untrained mind is like a wild monkey or untamed horse. It is easily distracted and runs in all directions. Sitting meditation is only as good as how focused our mind is. If we train our mind well, we will always stay calm regardless of whether we are alone in the woods or in the middle of a busy street. When the external environment loses its grip on the internal peace, then our wisdom will grow.

In sitting meditation, sitting is only half of the equation, and we should not lose sight of the meditation or contemplation part. This is the last, but not the least, part of sitting meditation. We can contemplate the dignified countenance of any buddha or the wisdom embedded in the words of the Avatamsaka Sutra. Contemplation is different from everyday thinking and reasoning. The key to contemplation is a calm mind. Let me illustrate this with the example of water. With turbulence, all that we can see is the ripples or waves on the water's surface. Only water that is still can reflect the world around it. When we contemplate, we should not disturb the mind. To go a step further, we should not even reason, recall, deduce, or calculate. The mind should remain still so that it is like a bright, clear mirror or a perfectly still pool of water. A bright and clear mirror reflects everything in its path. Water that is not still loses its ability to reflect what is around it. Likewise, when our mind is rippled with thoughts, it loses its ability to see the buddha realm of oneness.

Sleeping is also a form of practice in the Hua-yen school. While the body is not active in sleep, the mind is, and it is important to keep a calm mind even in sleep. Some people suffer from insomnia. Others complain of sleep that is not restful, and they wake up tired. The Hua-yen school has a practice that can calm our mind and help us get restful sleep. Sleep is an important part of the daily routine. It helps us rest our bodies so that we can function properly during the daytime.

There are a few things that we can do to ensure a good night sleep. First, use warm water to wash the feet before sleeping. This will help with circulation and is inductive to sleeping. Second, sleep on the right side of the body, like what we see in pictures and statues of the Buddha entering parinirvana. Sleeping on the back or the stomach hampers blood flow and breathing. Most of us are not used to sleeping on our side. To get used to this sleeping position, we should not move the body excessively once we lie down. Most people who have trouble falling asleep often complain of having to toss and turn in bed. They do not realize that it is precisely the tossing and turning that prevents them from falling asleep in the first place. Once we are used to this position and can keep the body still, we will fall asleep in no time. Third, contemplate a warm, gentle radiance in the distance. Some people cannot sleep with any amount of light; others want a night-light to fall asleep. A good habit is to contemplate brightness, so that when the eyes are closed, you sense radiance but do not actually see a light. If we can do this, we will not dream excessively and will not be disturbed by people's moving or talking. Also, make sure that the bedding is appropriate for the weather. While sleep is crucial to recharge our bodies, too much sleep will actually make us feel tired and lethargic.

I can speak from experience that this practice really works. People have often asked me what my secret is to my being tall. My secret is really nothing more than a good restful sleep every night. When I go to bed, I usually fall asleep in no time, even before my head hits the pillow. I am a heavy sleeper, but I can also wake up at any time I need to. Many of the things that I have learned from Buddhism are not rocket science, but I get a lot of use from them.

F. Testimonials of ancient Hua-yen masters

Throughout the history of Chinese Buddhism, there are many records of ancient masters leaving behind miraculous phenomena as testimonials to the fruit of their practice. The first example I want to share with you is Venerable Cheng-shun of the Yuan dynasty. He recited the Avatamsaka Sutra everyday and practiced the threefold contemplation of the dharma realm. Each time he entered samadhi, it was customary for him to stay in samadhi for three to five days at a stretch. People at the time also called him Hua-yen Bodhisattva. When he was dying, his disciples pleaded with him to leave them some last words of advice. He told them:

Time immemorial neither comes nor goes,
Contemplate how to use it.
Turn around and step into space.
Totally disregard all worldly conflict.

When he passed away, a resplendent dragon appeared on the memorial altar, flying amid the candle light in the temple.

The second example is about a T'ang dynasty bhiksu by the name of Cheng-hui. He renounced his household life under Venerable Fa-shun. He lived a secluded life in the woods, subsisting on wild plants and leaves. Whenever he recited the Avatamsaka Sutra, a handful of people would appear out of nowhere to listen to his recitation. They made him offerings of flowers and fruits. The flowers stayed fresh for days, and the fruits kept him nourished for a long time. When the bhiksu asked them who they were, they told him, "We are spirits of the mountain. Since you have been reciting the Avatamsaka Sutra, the whole mountain has become peaceful and tranquil. We just want to show you our respect."

The two examples above only touch on the peripheral benefits of the Hua-yen practice. When we live in accordance with the teachings of the sutra, we are in touch with buddha nature, and we are no different from the buddhas. We will see that the mind, buddha, and sentient beings are the same. Our being is without beginning or end, without coming or going, and without being born or dying. When we are able to calm the body and mind any where and any time, our wisdom will grow, and we will experience the buddha realm of oneness.

Let me conclude our discussion on the Hua-yen school with this verse:

If one wants to thoroughly understand
All buddhas of past, present, and future,
Contemplate the nature of the dharma realm-
All are creation of the mind.

The Mantra School and Its Practice

The Mantra school is also known as the Esoteric school. Actually, there is nothing esoteric about this school. All of the Buddha's teachings are open to all, and there are no hidden secrets. The word esoteric here simply refers to the use of mantras as a form of practice. Mantras, the meaning of which is not apparent, are also referred to as true words. Among the eight schools of Chinese Buddhism, this school is unique in its prevalent use of mantras. The line between the Mantra school and the other seven exegetic schools is actually not definitive. The Mantra school also studies the Buddha's teachings, and the other schools also use mantras in Dharma service. It is just a matter of emphasis. The same can be said of sutras versus mantras. Many of the sutras, such as the Medicine Sutra, the Ksitigarbha Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, have a mantra at their conclusion. Even the extremely concise Heart Sutra also ends with this mantra, "Gate, gate, paragate, parasamgate, bodhi svaha." Very often, the practice of one involves the other.

A. Understanding the Practice of Reciting Mantras

The main practice of the Mantra school is the recitation of mantras. The word mantra is the English translation of the Sanskrit word dharani. A dharani contains infinite meaning, and the word has also been translated as "true word" or "absolute practice." Take the practice of reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha, pronounced as "O-mi-to-fo" in Chinese. While the words "O-mi-to-fo" refer to the Buddha's name, they are like a dharani in the sense that they, too, embody infinite significance. When we see someone, we say "O-mi-to-fo" to mean "How are you?" When we take leave, we say "O-mi-to-fo" to mean "Goodbye." When we step on someone accidentally, we say "O-mi-to-fo" to mean that we are sorry. When others give us a present, we say "O-mi-to-fo" to express our thanks. When we see someone getting hurt, we say "O-mi-to-fo" to show our sympathy. A few words, yet they embody so much meaning.

Within the Mantra school a common practice is to recite the mantra Om mani padme hum. These Sanskrit words mean "taking refuge in the mani jewel in the lotus." The recitation of mantras is not so much in the understanding of what the words mean but in focusing the mind away from deluded thoughts. While this may sound easy in theory, it is hard in practice. According to the sutras, if we can say this mantra with one-pointedness of mind, we can be free from the cycles of rebirth and be reborn in the Pure Land. The Mahayanasutra-lamkara-tika describes the merit of reciting this mantra as follows, "The Buddha wanted it to be known to all good men and women that this dharani is the wondrous original mind of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. If one sees this, one knows the way of liberation."

How well we say a mantra depends not so much on how accurately we pronounce the words but how focused we are. We need to focus our mind as we say one word after another. As long as we are mindful, it does not matter even if we say it wrong inadvertently or mispronounce some of the words. I do mean this literally, and I have a story to illustrate my point. Many years ago in a remote part of China lived an elderly woman. She wanted very much to practice Buddhism, but she lived in a very inaccessible place and had not yet had a chance to meet a teacher. One day, a lay Buddhist passed by the village, holding a string of prayer beads in his hands. As he walked, he kept up with his prayers. The elderly woman was delighted to find a Buddhist in her midst. She went up to the man and asked him how she should practice. The man was pleasantly surprised for no one had ever asked him such a question. He told the elderly woman, "I'll teach you a mantra."

The woman asked, "What mantra?"

The man replied, "Om mani padme niu." The Chinese character for hum is written very similar to the character for cow (pronounced as "niu"), and he mistakenly pronounced "hum" as "niu."
The woman was delighted that she had finally learned a way to practice. Every day she recited the mantra like the man had shown her. To keep track of how many times she had recited, she kept a pile of beans in front of her. Each time she said the mantra, she moved a bean from one side to the other. With utmost sincerity and singular focus, she said the mantra day in and day out. As time passed, her practice progressed to the point that the body, mind, and mouth were all reciting the mantra in unison. Every time she said the mantra, a bean would automatically jump from one side to the other. She did not have to move the beans at all.
Years passed. One day a mendicant monk passed through the village. The woman was ecstatic to see a monastic coming through, and as it was getting late, she invited the monk to stay for the night. When it was time for her evening practice, she began to say the mantra, "Om mani padme niu, …."The monk immediately realized that she mispronounced the mantra and corrected her on the spot. Now that the woman realized she had been mispronouncing the mantra, she wanted to correct herself. From that point on, the beans no longer jumped across the table on their own accord. In the past when there was no discrimination in her mind, she was able to say the mantra with single mindedness, so much so that even an inanimate object like a bean was moved by her sincerity. Now that she was worried about pronouncing the mantra correctly, she could no longer keep her mind focused like before, and her practice actually suffered. From this, we can see that while it is important to learn the sutras and mantras correctly, it is even more critical to focus the mind and do so with sincerity.

When we recite a mantra, we should not just recite it with our speech. We should also do so with our body and mind, or else the recitation is empty of meaning. Our hands should be in a mudra, and our mind should focus on what we are saying. To help the mind focus, it is a common practice in the Mantra school to contemplate the Sanskrit symbols of mantra words. When we recite mantras with our body, mind, and mouth, [we are in essence keeping the three doors of karma closed to delusion] and providing the conditions for our practice to grow. Reciting mantras in this manner can also help us grow in wisdom, keep our mind on right thought, mollify the effects of our unwholesome karma, attract goodness, and keep us from harm's way. In fact, when non-Buddhists hear a recitation of a mantra, a buddha seed is planted in their consciousness, which will germinate given the right conditions. On a more practical note, reciting mantras in a focused manner can help us stay calm in the face of crises and help us view our problems in perspective.

B. How to Practice Mindfulness of Mantras

There are five ways to practice mindfulness of mantras. First is the lotus method which means that the practitioner recites the mantra out loud. The recitation should be fluent, and the practitioner should pay attention to each word said. Second is the diamond method which means that the practitioner recites the mantra in silence. The mouth is closed, and the mantra is said in the mind. Although the mantra is not uttered, each word should still be clearly said in the mind. Third is the samadhi method. In this method, the practitioner first calms the mind with meditation and then contemplates the mantra words in samadhi. Fourth is the deep absorption recitation method. The practitioner first visualizes a lotus flower on top of which sits a white clam, emitting the Sanskrit sounds of the mantra. The practitioner then follows this lead to recite the mantra. Fifth is the radiance method. When the practitioner says the mantra out loud, he or she contemplates a ray of light emanating from the mouth. The ray of light symbolizes the practitioner's tutelary deity and its emergence from the mouth symbolizes that the person reciting the mantra and the tutelary deity are of one nature.

C. How to Gain Entrance into the Mantra School

Generally, when one is ready to become a Buddhist, one takes refuge in the Triple Gem of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. Taking refuge is a rite in which one proclaims one's devotion to the Buddha's teachings and one's intention to walk in his path. To become a disciple of the Mantra school of Buddhism, there are six objects of refuge. In addition to taking refuge in the Triple Gem, one also takes refuge in the lama, a tutelary deity, and a dakini. The lama is the teacher and plays a pivotal role in guiding the practitioner in his or her cultivation. A tutelary deity is a special form of the Buddha with whom the practitioner has special affinity. A dakini is a deity who protects the practitioner in the seeking of the Way. The selection of the dakini should be made with caution. If not, the practitioner may select the wrong deity or inadvertently upset other deities, inviting troubles for oneself.
The Mantra school is a school of many rites and rituals, such as abhishekha , reciting mantras, doing mudras, and the selection of a dakini. The teacher plays a very important role in the learning and performing of these rites and rituals. Unless we have access to a good teacher, it is best that we practice in the exegetic tradition and use the recitation of mantras to supplement our practice.

This concludes the first part of this three-part series. Today, we have merely scratched the surface of what the Hua-yen and Mantra school represent. In the next two days, we will discuss the other six schools of Chinese Buddhism.